Texas Governor Greg Abbott says state authorities will respond aggressively to what he called “defiant” protesters, as demonstrations tied to the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis continue to spread nationwide.
Why it matters
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent—identified in court documents as Jonathan E. Ross—shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, in Minnesota on Wednesday. Federal officials described Good as an “anti-ICE agitator,” alleging—without presenting evidence—that she was part of a broader left-wing network. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also claimed Good committed “an act of domestic terrorism.”
Minnesota officials and witnesses have disputed those characterizations. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey rejected the federal description of the case, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz urged the public not to accept what he called a misleading narrative. Since Wednesday, protests have erupted in multiple cities, including in Minnesota.
What to know
Abbott weighed in on Saturday, posting on X: “Texas is not Minnesota,” and following with another message: “Texas Department of Public Safety not putting up with defiant protesters.”
In Austin on Saturday night, police detained multiple people during anti-ICE demonstrations, according to a CBS Austin reporter. The reporter said officers fired multiple rounds of an unknown object—believed to be pepper balls—into the crowd.
Texas Department of Public Safety spokesperson Chris Olivarez said state officials were in Austin to maintain public order and public safety. He said peaceful protest would be respected, but authorities would intervene if demonstrators blocked roads, damaged property, or if violence escalated.
Local outlets reported additional protests across Texas. CBS Austin said two separate demonstrations took place in Austin on Saturday.
The Minneapolis shooting has intensified scrutiny of ICE activity under President Donald Trump’s administration and renewed debate over law enforcement conduct in immigration operations. Some Democrats have threatened to reduce funding for DHS.
Texas Democratic Congressman Greg Casar criticized DHS Secretary Kristi Noem on Saturday, saying her approach had pushed ICE into communities in ways that caused “chaos and harm, and even death.”
Noem responded Sunday by accusing Frey and Walz of inflaming the situation and politicizing the shooting. Speaking to CNN, she argued that “sanctuary cities such as Minneapolis are extremely dangerous for American citizens.”
Walz, speaking Wednesday, said state leaders had warned that heightened federal operations posed risks to public safety and that violence was a predictable outcome.
In a separate incident, two people were shot in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday by an immigration agent.
What officials are saying
ICE said in a statement that it “arrests criminal illegal aliens” to make communities “safer,” and argued that Walz and Frey’s “sanctuary agenda” puts Minnesotans at risk.
Olivarez said the agency supports peaceful assembly, but that violence, threats, blocking roads, and property damage “will not be tolerated.”
What happens next
The FBI is leading the investigation into the Minnesota shooting. The findings are likely to shape both local and national debates over ICE operations—and how accountability is handled when immigration enforcement actions turn deadly.
